August 29, 2025
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Having a sense of purpose helps guard against dementia, new research shows. Spending time with grandchildren, working and volunteering are among the ways to foster a sense of purpose.
Having a sense of purpose helps ward off dementia, a new study suggests.
The research, published in the October issue of The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, found a sense of purpose is linked to a later onset and lower likelihood of dementia — even for people with a genetic predisposition for it.
"What's exciting about this study is that people may be able to 'think' themselves into better health," Thomas Wingo, a UC Davis Health neurologist and co-author of the study, said in anews release. "Purpose in life is something we can nurture. It's never too early — or too late — to start thinking about what gives your life meaning."
The researchers tracked more than 13,000 people age 45 and older who were part of a national study for 15 years. People who reported a higher sense of purpose were 28% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
The results were consistent across different races and ethnicities and "remained significant" regardless of education and depression levels, the researchers said.
Medications that can have a modest effect in delaying Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for 60% to 80% of people with dementia, have side effects and risks.
"Purpose in life is free, safe and accessible," Nicholas C. Howard, first author and public health researcher at UC Davis, said in the news release. "It's something people can build through relationships, goals and meaningful activities."
The study did not examine what specific factors engendered a sense of purpose. According to the researchers, previous studies have found that relationships, work or volunteering, spirituality and faith, and personal goals help foster well-being and a sense of meaning.
About 10% of Americans have dementia and about 22% have mild cognitive impairment, according to a 2022 study.
Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is on the rise. More than 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's, and that number is expected to reach 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Alzheimer's results from a build-up of plaques and proteins in the brain that cause the brain to deteriorate. Short-term memory loss is an early symptom of the disease. It gets progressively worse and can ultimately impede a person's ability to go about daily life, according to the Mayo Clinic. Alzheimer's has no cure.
